Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-24
THE CHIRsH BOSS.

| The political boss is bad enough. He is
insufferable. He always Injuries the cause
he tries or assumes to represent and. on
general principles. the political boss is self
destructive. The more people concede TO
him the larger are his demands and the
more unpleasant and unbeatable his airs. so
that, sooner or later lie brings upon him
self the punishment he so richly deserves.
The American people do net take kindly to
the rule of obstreperouS and everbearing
/ despots. They supposed that that sort of
Z thing went down with the rule in America
, of George the Third.
The church boss, however. is worse
nuisance than the political boss, because he
| occupies position III which he can do
greater harm. We know of one church in
western city. the influence of which. for
good. is greatly circumscribed by the att-
tude of a member who has wealth and po-
sition, who presumes to dictate what shall
be dons in any and all circumstances. The
pastor and people must DO as he says. in all
matters which hs cares TO influence. or
trouble ensues He does not break any of
the laws of the church. nor 50 ovsrstep
the rules of morality that he
cali be proceeded against, but simply
sits astride OF the neck of the
church, and chokes the life and
| usefulness out OF it. 1t cannot grow and
he will not let it die. for if he did he would
have no further opportunity to lord 1t over
Gods heritage"
We know another church In . western
city that has two bosses. who pull and haul
the distracted institution one way and an
other. Pastors Of ability ant personal
worth are called, but no one Of them pleas
IS both bosses. and oil Of them are sure to
have 10 walk the plank. sooner or later.
The church suffers-and has = name to suf
fer-throughout the commonwealth.
Sometimes the pastor is the boss. We
have known third party prohibition pastors
who seriously set about the work Of bull
doing their entire congregations into their
party. and falling. who have nearly dis
rupted the churches. We have also known
of person who was received into q certain
church. and who, although he was grossly
ignorant and vulgar. insisted that the pas
tor and people should vote the prohibition
ticket. As they declined. he remarked
that he would be condemned If he wouldn't
'.jine" some other church. and he proceeded
to do it, to tho great relief OF the
church which he left. His bossism
was Of short duration. We know an
other Christian brother. sincere, earnest,
devoted, who was prominent in organizing
q religious movement in a certain locality.
who persisted in turning il into a prohib
tion club, and who was sorely grieved and
nearly crushed because the other brethren
wouldn't have it.
A boss has no place in church-of
which Christ is the only head. Even pas
tor who assumes TO BE- dictator, is a
usurper, and should be brought down 10 his
proper position. as q leader OF his people.
possibly, but as person having no more
rights or privileges than the humblest
member Of his flock. Pastor and people
arc brethren. They are the followers OF
the divine man who washed the feet Of his
disciples and who commanded them to so
wash ono apother's feet. Next to the
church boss, in guilt, come the church peo-
pie who pusillaDimously submit 10 his rule.
No church can prosper under boss. A
church who endures boss doesn't deserve
to prosper. 1t doesn't exemp!Ify the prin-
ciples of Christianity and it obsIucts and
dishonors the cause it assumes to repre-
cant